1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to knife sharpeners in which a scabbard is provided for receiving a knife blade and in which a sharpening device is included for sharpening an edge of the knife blade.
2. Review of the Prior Art
In previously proposed sharpeners of this kind, the sharpening action has been achieved on withdrawal of the knife from the scabbard with the knife edge engaging a fixed sharpening device carried on the scabbard. Although such a knife sharpener is effective in sharpening the blade edge, it has the disadvantage of a sharp edge emerging from the scabbard during, and as part of, the sharpening action. Such a sharp edge emerging in these circumstances presents a danger both to the person withdrawing the knife blade and to objects, such as work surfaces, which are immediately adjacent the emerging blade edge, both of which can be cut by the freshly sharpened edge.